The Color Black
by morgarita
Summary: Maybe the magazine was wrong; perhaps it was Nate Black that Tess Tyler was destined for. NateTess.


**hey :)  
i know my writing's been in a rut lately, but i'm hoping this will get me out if it.  
i'm working with tess some more, but with a dash of nate thrown in there.  
oh, i'm not sure if nate and jason are shane's brothers. i don't think they are, but whatever. i'm taking a chance.**

_the standard disclaimer stands._

enjoy!

* * *

So my kingdom really did stand on pillars of sand, just like Coldplay told me, warned me.

My time at Camp Rock was supposed to be set in stone. Get there, rule the place, win Final Jam, just like every other summer.

Then Mitchie showed up.

Mitchie, in all her lying glory. She had shown up out of nowhere, stolen everybody's hearts, and then I took it away from her. It was like I yanked a carpet from under her on a slick wooden floor. I drove Shane away from her; at least, that's what I thought.

But karma bites. Peggy and Ella no longer kiss my feet at the snap of my manicured fingers. Shane had gone back to Mitchie, even after everything.

That wasn't how it was supposed to work. Even the magazine I read during lunch said that Shane was perfect for me. I had even gone as far as to wear green to the Pajama Jam just to impress him.

So I was back at square one. The moon shines above the lake and casts an incredible white glow upon the lake in front of me and my eyes are glistening with tears that spill over when I hear Shane and Mitchie behind the canoes. I furiously pound at the sand before curling my knees to my chest and resting my head upon them.

Then a voice clears its throat behind me before speaking.

"...Are you okay?"

I laugh bitterly through my tears and hiccup.

"What's your definition of okay?" I ask. I don't turn around.

"Well, certainly not this," the voice says, sitting down in the cool sand next to me. I don't lift my head, and I don't look at the person. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not necessarily," I say coolly. And then I choose to look up, and see Nate Black sitting next to me. He looks back down at me and I turn back to the water, my face flushing.

"Alright," he says back. Silence drapes over us, but it isn't awkward.

"I don't understand," I say suddenly, suprising even myself. He doesn't look at me, and I don't look at him. "This summer was supposed to be about me, it was etched in stone! I was supposed to show up, rock out, and win. Even impress my mother, maybe! And then go home. And then next summer, the cycle would start again. Then Mitchie showed up, and took it all away."

"It was bound to happen sooner or later."

I prop myself up on my knees, furious. "No it wasn't."

"Murphy said anything that can go wrong will," he reminded me. "And I'm pretty sure the dude's got a point."

"No. This wasn't supposed to happen!" I hit his left arm, but he doesn't react, so I hit him again, repeatedly, until he is on his back in the sand.

"Will you stop?"

"No! I - don't - under - stand," I yell down at him through gritted teeth in between hits, legs on either side of him. Nate calmly reaches up and grabs both of my wrists and pulls me to him. His arms just hold me tighter when I struggle against him, head under his neck.

"Are you done now?" He asks softly once I have stopped squirming. I nod against his chest and feel his breath, hot on my head. "Good, because I feel a bruise or two forming."

"I'm sorry," I say, tears clouding my vision once again.

"I don't think I'm the one you should be apologizing to," he tells me, before moving from under me and standing up. Extending his hand, he pulls me to my feet.

"...What?"

"Think about it," he says, extending his right hand. "Hi, I'm Nate."

"I'm Tess," I reply. "Tess Tyler."

"Do you want a hug?" he asks, arms outstretched. I instinctively step back; I'm not used to physical contact.

"Okay," I say tentively, before stepping into his arms. A set of fireworks explode in my stomach, and as soon it starts, it's over and he is pulling away.

"It was nice meeting you, Tess Tyler. But uh," he says, jerking his thumb behind him. "I have to go talk to Brown and the press."

"You too, Nate Black."

And then he is gone and I am left by myself once more. But as I watch him recede into the darkness, I realize that maybe that magazine was wrong. That maybe, just maybe Shane and I aren't meant to be.

Maybe it's Nate and I that are.

* * *

**i liked it, because tess is interesting to work with.  
..your turn!  
leave your thoughts :)**


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